Nintendo closing the Wii U and 3DS eShops makes classic NES titles subscription-only
Nintendo has announced it will be closing the Wii U and 3DS eShops in March next year. While you’ll still be able to download games and DLC you’ve already purchased from the digital storefronts, it will no longer be possible to buy new titles, download demos, redeem download codes, or add funds.
In a blog post on the publisher's website, Nintendo says the discontinuation of the eShops is simply part of the consoles’ “natural lifecycle”, although there are no immediate plans to shut down their online play features.
If you've already added digital funds to the storefronts, you'll be able to transfer any leftover balance to the Nintendo Switch eShop after they close next year. On top of that, any remaining eShop Cards sold by retailers that show the Wii U or 3DS logo can be used to add funds to your Nintendo Account for use on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo hasn’t stipulated exactly for how long the eShops will remain supported, only suggesting that players will be able to re-download their games, DLC, and receive software updates for their existing purchases for “the foreseeable future”.
It's also launched a new 3DS and Wii U Memories webpage that reveals several of your playtime stats for the consoles.
With the Nintendo 3DS now 11 years old, and the Wii U due to celebrate its 10th anniversary later this year, the closure of their eShops shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Running, maintaining, and updating a digital storefront is costly, so Nintendo will be looking to shave expenses from the aging consoles. Sony attempted to make, but later reversed, a similar decision with the PlayStation Store for PS3 and Vita last year.
More aggravating, however, is that the discontinuation of the eShops will effectively prevent players
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